Coffee is the incentive that drags most of us out from under our warm doona's and into the crisp morning air during the winter months. It's that precious cup that gets us through our mornings and, more often than not, acts as our replacement breakfast. Unfortunately, aside from it's ability to give you that caffeine boost you so often feel you require in the early AM, there aren't too many other benefits of drinking coffee - which is why it's super fantastic that there is such a delicious and simple alternative - Tea.

There are tons of reasons why tea is such an awesome drink but lets start with the obvious fact that it tastes so much better than a cup of instant coffee. There are endless options in way of flavours when it comes to tea; a tres lola favourite is peppermint with a teaspoon of honey. Of course, there are your regular run of the mill English Breakfast and Earl Grey varieties, which are just fine, but why not try blackcurrant black tea or cinnamon apple? Stop by your local supermarket and check out the range- you'll be surprised at the creativity!

Tea also has it's health benefits- it contributes to your fluid intake, bringing you closer to that coveted '8 glasses a day' rule and so ensuring your body is hydrated. It contains antioxidants, they protect your body by building up your immune system. It can also be a no calorie drink - or at least significantly low calorie drink depending on the type of tea you choose and whether you add sweeteners such as milk, sugar or honey.

Same goes for caffeine intake, dependant on what type of tea you choose, it contains far less caffeine than coffee and often times it contains no caffeine at all. & believe it or not, no caffeine IS actually a good thing. Caffeine might give a short boost of alertness by causing your blood sugar level to spike, the downfall is that this heightened level of energy doesn't last and so in the long run you end up feeling tired and induce the dreaded "caffeine headache". Caffeine is also a diuretic meaning it can rob your body of the fluids and nutrients it needs to stay healthy. While we are on the negative attributes of caffeine, it is worth mentioning that it can contribute to dehydration which will also cause a lack of energy which is almost certainly the opposite of what you were aiming for when you whipped up that cup of coffee, right?

Another convenience of tea is that it is super affordable. It costs only a few dollars for a pack of 20 or so tea bags and with countless flavours to try out, you're bound to find one just perfect to become your new favourite cuppa.

While tres lola isn't suggesting kicking your Starbucks habit all together- we appreciate that a good coffee is the indulgence every girl needs here and there, but we should all remember it is just that, an indulgence. Look at it the same way you would do with enjoying a some chocolate or having a take out meal. Enjoy it in moderation.

So next time you head to the kitchen for a 'tea break', make it just that, forget the instant coffee that tastes about as good as soggy weetbix - get into some tea!